


Conflicting Opinions

by dreamji



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Coming of Age, Fluff, Happy Ending, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Mild Angst, Teen Romance, f e e l i n g s, i don't know how to tag, slice of life?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2021-01-02 05:09:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21156137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamji/pseuds/dreamji
Summary: Minho asks him at a party, drink in hand and a conniving smirk on his face, “Why did you and Hyunjin stop being friends?”Seungmin keeps his expression neutral, just having barely managed to hold back from flinching. “Difference in opinion.” He replies smoothly, although the way his insides are churning right now is anything but.“What kind of difference?” Minho prompts, eyes widened in falsified innocence.But Seungmin is already turning away, his voice colder than ice as he snaps, “You asked me why, not how.”As he rushes towards the door, tears pricking at his eyes, cursing himself for a multitude of reasons, a tall figure steps into his path, his concerned voice bringing back memories rather left forgotten.“Seungmin? What happened?”or; seungjin are ex best friends who avoid each other like the plague, but they can’t do this forever.





	Conflicting Opinions

**Author's Note:**

> hello everyone!
> 
> i had the idea for this fic so long ago and finally got around to writing it... it turned out a little longer than i had initially planned...
> 
> either way, i hope you enjoy<3

Seungmin sighs, shaking himself from a deep daze and stretching his arms upwards with a yawn. Taking another deep breath, he turns back to his computer to continue typing. Suddenly, his door slams open, giving way to his roommate Felix. 

"Seo Changbin invited us to his party!" He looks positively overjoyed. 

Still recovering from the heart-attack-inducing ball of energy that is Lee Felix, Seungmin can't help but retort.

"He invites everyone to his parties, Lix." 

Felix pouts, throwing himself onto Seungmin's bed and crumpling the sheets. When Seungmin opens his mouth to protest this, he finds himself drowned out by Felix rambling on about how "God made the perfect man, how am I supposed to let this opportunity slip through my grasp?!" 

"Okay, so go to the party, make him fall in love with you, the end." 

“But how am I supposed to flirt with Changbin if you aren’t there for moral support?!” 

"That doesn’t make any sense you dumbass, just ask him out or something," Seungmin answers, exasperated beyond belief.

Felix lets out a dramatic huff, crossing his arms and knocking one of Seungmin's plushies off his bed. 

"I'm sure you'll have a great time here, alone, with nothing to do but homework that isn't even due until next week."

"Maybe I will."

Felix picks himself up and brushes imaginary dust off his sweater, leaving with one last remark in Seungmin's direction. 

"You look stressed, as usual. Maybe come to the party, hang out for a little, then come back here and finish that paper, which, by the way, is due in like, a week from now." 

When the door closes behind him, Seungmin leans back in his seat, glancing in despair at his wrecked bed. Maybe Felix was right. Surprisingly, it wouldn't have been the first time. 

Half-heartedly pulling his sheets back up and plopping the plushie back on his bed, Seungmin trudges into his closet and rubs his bleary eyes. 

Felix pops his head back into his room, grinning when he sees Seungmin.

"Dress to impress baby, you're getting laid tonight!" 

"If you don't get the _ fuck _ out of my room-"

But honestly, he’d much rather sit in a dark corner for an hour at a party than stare at his computer for a countless amount of time, and hell, maybe he’ll even put some effort into the way he looks, if not for his own sake then for Felix's. 

Seungmin wrestles his legs into some tight leather pants, congratulating himself when they feel the slightest bit looser than the last time he wore them. He wonders when was the last time he had gone shopping for clothes (from the looks of it, it's been a while) as he slides a loose lavender-colored silk shirt off a hanger.

On the way out his bedroom door, he stops, turning around and walking back to his bathroom mirror to apply some sheer lip gloss and, upon further contemplation, grabs Hyunjin's necklace from its place on his dresser. For sentimental's sake only, he tells himself. 

Felix takes one look at him, wolf whistles, (and slaps him on the ass, “if I wasn’t chasing after short-dark-and-handsome and you weren’t the biggest nerd I've ever met I'd totally tap that”) and grabs his wrist, pulling him out their front door excitedly.

\---

When they walk into the party, Changbin strides up to greet them with a small smile in Seungmin’s direction and a smitten one in Felix’s. Felix, to his own credit, at least sends Seungmin a guilty look before promptly running off when Changbin asks him if he’d like to see his producing studio.

Seungmin just rolls his eyes for what feels like the 900th time that night and wanders into the kitchen to get a drink. 

As he sips the mystery concoction (he thinks it might be punch) (god he hopes its punch) a familiar velvety voice interrupts his daze.

“You look nice,” Minho purrs, close to Seungmin’s ear to be heard over the loud music and atmosphere of the party. Lee Minho, the well-known dance-major and dance team leader on campus, friends with Chan and by extension, Changbin, the reason why he’s here. 

Seungmin ignores him, sipping his drink and pretending to not notice his presence. He watches in false intrigue as the partygoers dance, a writhing sweaty mass on the dancefloor. 

Minho scoffs, throwing away all subtleties. “That's Hwang Hyunjin’s necklace right?” Seungmin snaps his head around to face him, surprise clear in his eyes, a hand instinctively flying up to grip the necklace in his fingers. “What- ” 

“Please, I know Hyunjin from dance class. He wore that necklace all the time, even though it always got in the way of his dancing. That idiot never took it off for a moment.” 

For some reason, Minho's mention of Hyunjin makes Seungmin’s stomach drop. 

“Leave me alone. I don’t want to talk to you, I don’t have anything you want,” he pleads.

Minho holds up his hands in a placating gesture, smirking. 

“You’re wrong about that. There IS something that I want from you.” 

Seungmin opens his mouth to cut him off, tell him he has no right to any information from him, but Minho barrels on. “I promise I’ll leave you alone if you tell me.”

Seungmin raises an eyebrow at him, slightly curious. 

"Why did you and Hyunjin stop being friends?” 

Seungmin keeps his expression neutral, just having barely managed to hold back from flinching. 

“Difference in opinion.” He replies smoothly, although the way his insides are churning right now is anything but. 

“What kind of difference?” Minho prompts, eyes widened in falsified innocence.

But Seungmin is already turning away, his voice colder than ice as he snaps “You asked me why, not how.” 

When Minho opens his mouth to call after him, maybe even apologize, Seungmin whirls around, shaking with rage and even more emotions he can’t begin to describe. 

“No. You _ told _ me that you’d stop talking to me after I answered. You _ promised _ . I answered, and now it’s time for you to _ leave. me. alone. _” 

As he rushes towards the door, tears pricking at his eyes, cursing himself for a multitude of reasons, a tall figure steps into his path, his concerned voice bringing back memories rather left forgotten.

“Minnie? What happened?” 

Seungmin’s stomach drops. 

“H-hyunjin?” 

He turns slowly, meeting eyes with the speaker cautiously. The rational part of his brain is screaming at him to turn and run, to build the walls back up and never let anyone in. 

But something even deeper inside him urges him to stand his ground, and he finds himself unconsciously leaning closer, inexplicably drawn to Hyunjin like he was all those years ago. 

Hyunjin stops the hand that was reaching out for Seungmin and rubs the back of his neck with it awkwardly, avoiding his gaze.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah… I just... needed some air…” Seungmin trails off uncomfortably, casting a hopeless glance towards the door.

“Felix told me to come to find you… A few of us are playing games upstairs and he was wondering if you'd like to join- I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to! He was just- wondering.”

Despite all their years apart, Seungmin still feels enamored by his behavior, knowing he only ever appears hesitant when he's especially flustered.

“Don't worry,” Seungmin reassures him, smiling. 

Hyunjin beams back, relief in his gaze. 

“Are we waiting for someone?” Seungmin teases gently, hiding a giggle when Hyunjin flushes and stiffly turns, motioning for him to follow.

As Hyunjin turns around to glance back at him again, his eyes find the smooth silver chain around his neck, lingering on the pendant hanging from it. 

He opens his mouth as if to speak, but he seems to decide against it, turning around and advancing up the stairs. 

When they walk through the open doorway, Seungmin finds a small circle of people; Chan, Woojin, Minho, Changbin, Felix, Jisung, Jeongin, Haechan, Jeno, Daehwi, Eric, Yeji, Lia, plus a few other girls and a boy Seungmin didn't know.

Chan gives him a wide grin, holding up an empty soju bottle in his right hand. "Sit down! The more the merrier! We _ are _ playing spin the bottle after all."

Seungmin shoots a fearful look at Felix, narrowing his eyes at him when he just smiles back innocently. He huffs, sitting down gingerly between Hyunjin and Yeji. 

A few rounds go by swiftly and by the time its Seungmin's turn he's sweating, watching as the bottle goes around and around. 

The bottle lands on Felix. Seungmin breathes a sigh of relief.

Felix smirks, beckoning him closer and propping himself on his knees. Seungmin lets out a resigned sigh, crawling forward until they're face to face.

"Let's give them a show Minnie." Felix murmurs slowly, leaning in. 

Seungmin just closes his eyes, letting Felix pull him onto his lap and deepen the kiss to the loud cheers of onlookers. They break apart, Felix laughing hard and Seungmin wiping his mouth with a scoff. 

He returns to his place in the circle, seeing the look on Changbin's face and recognizing that he was at least able to help Felix with _ something _Changbin related. 

They go around the circle again, the excitement level in the room slowly rising as more people got more enthusiastic. Lia spins Yeji, and (after encouragement from Daehwi,) they kiss for about five minutes before breaking apart, blushing. 

Jeongin spins the boy Seungmin doesn't know; he introduces himself shyly as Bang Yedam and gives Jeongin a quick peck on the cheek. It's cute, Seungmin thinks to himself.

There are a few more interesting ones, a highlight being Haechan and Jeno (who are supposedly bitter exes), and _ finally _, Changbin and Felix. Seungmin claps his hands and cheers when they kiss, sending Felix a smug look that says "See? Did you really need my help?" and before he knows it, it's Seungmin's turn again. 

This time he's less afraid when he spins the bottle, watches it rotate around and around, slowing to a stop...

Landing on Hyunjin.

It's so quiet in the room you can hear a pin drop, and Seungmin wonders to himself if everyone in this room knows about their history or if he's just imagining the awkward tension. 

“Seungmin- it’s okay, we don’t have to-” 

Seungmin feels Minho’s smug gaze on him, drilling into the side of his face. His mouth moves before his mind, seemingly composed in the way he says “No. It's alright, let's just do it.”

Hyunjin stutters, having been prepared for rejection. “Are you sure?” 

“I'm positive.”

He hears quiet murmuring from Felix and Jisung behind him but chooses to ignore them, turning instead to Hyunjin and asking a question lightly. 

"Are _ you _ okay with this?" 

"I- Yeah it's alright."

They both lean in slowly, mirroring each other as they grow closer. 

Seungmin flutters his eyes closed and they breathe for a little, marveling at the feeling of Hyunjin's smooth skin against his own. 

Seungmin peeks open an eye, realizing that Hyunjin is looking at him for confirmation. Seungmin nods slightly, letting out a shaky breath and shutting his eyes again.

He feels Hyunjin leaning in, the plush of his lips against his own.

Then fireworks; that’s the only way Seungmin can think to describe the feeling. 

Like a cool breeze on a hot day, like looking up into the night sky and seeing stars. 

Hyunjin presses closer, closer, gently nibbling on his lower lip as if asking for an invitation. Seungmin complies, parting his lips and tilting his head, letting Hyunjin take control. 

He leans back, Hyunjin chasing after him like he's an aphrodisiac; like he can't ever get enough. 

When Hyunjin finally pulls back, he utters a single dazed word. 

“Cherry.” 

“What?” 

“Your lipgloss. It tastes like cherries.”

The whole circle bursts into laughter and they both blush a deep (cherry) red.

Seungmin looks away, making eye contact with Felix, who gives him a questioning look. Seungmin, being the grown adult he is, scrunches his face at Felix petulantly and shakes his head. 

"One more round?" 

\---

He feels Hyunjin's hand inching closer to his own as they watch the usually composed Chan fidget and avoid Woojin's gaze as he inches closer to kiss him.

Seungmin doesn't move away when Hyunjin gingerly lays his hand on his. In fact, he slowly turns his hand so that his palm is facing upwards, letting Hyunjin interlock their fingers and squeezing back lightly

Hyunjin's spin comes again, landing on Seungmin. Yeji throws her hands up, rolling her eyes with a huff. 

"How the fuck is that even fair?"

Hyunjin just laughs and leans in, planting a chaste kiss on Seungmin's cheek. 

"I don't mind"

They all decide to finish the game there, saying goodbyes and slowly progressing out of the room.

Everyone gets up and leaves, Minho leaving last, sending them both a wink and shutting the door behind him with a click.

They stare at each other for a bit, confident when with other people but just as timid and awkward as ever when alone together.

Hyunjin starts. "It's been a while, huh?"

"It really has."

"..."

"Look- I'm sorry about everything. I know it's way too late but I want to explain myself." Hyunjin blurts, catching them both by surprise. 

"It was just as much my fault as it was yours, Jin. I want to explain myself too."

"Better now than never, I guess." 

\---

It went like this: One scorching summer day, the Kim family moved into the dingy, plaster walled apartment building across from Hyunjin's. 

Hyunjin still remembers the way Seungmin stood, bandaged knees and stick-thin legs, a nervous smile plastered on his face as he stood in the doorway of their chipped wooden door. 

Hyunjin, ever the polite child, simply smiled at him, showing off the gap in his front teeth and asking if he'd like to play video games. 

From that day forward, Hyunjin and Seungmin were almost always together. 

Hyunjin had someone to walk to school with and Seungmin had someone to sit by, a deal forged in swiftly melting melona and sticky pinky promises. 

Eventually, Seungmin found himself enjoying Hyunjin solely for Hyunjin, reveling in the fact that Hyunjin was _ his _best friend. 

Nobody else knew the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed like the back of their hand, no one else knew how it felt to be trapped in his gaze; like you were the center of (at the very least) the universe. 

Seungmin remembers his birthday present from Hyunjin. He remembers the joy he felt when he gave him a brand-new baseball glove, remembers how pleased Hyunjin had looked when he threw his arms around him and laughed.

He remembers what he wished for, that day. 

That Hyunjin would be with him forever. 

It was childish, yes. And yet, a part of him truly considered that it could be true, secure in the belief that Hyunjin had no interest in spending his time with anyone but Seungmin.

Seungmin was wrong. 

Hyunjin had rushed up to him exactly a year later, shoving a hastily wrapped box into his hand. 

"I'm sorry I can't stick around, but Naeyeon invited me to her birthday party. You understand, right?" 

Seungmin just forced a smile and gritted his teeth, creasing the dark blue wrapping paper as he clenched his fists. 

"Of course I understand. Tell Naeyeon-sunbae I said happy birthday!" 

And with a wave towards Seungmin's parents and a slam of his front door, Hyunjin was gone. 

Before Seungmin even had time to be too upset, Hyunjin had gotten over Naeyeon. 

"It turns out she likes girls. Who would have thought?" Hyunjin had mused to Seungmin over leftover cake and algebra homework. Thankfully, he didn't seem too upset about it. 

The year after that, Hyunjin finds a new person to occupy himself with. This time his name is Park Jinyoung, and Hyunjin is head-over-heels. 

"I think I'm going to confess today. It's now or never, you know?"

"Don't look at me," Seungmin doesn't look up from his homework. 

If Hyunjin had been paying attention he probably would have heard the edge in Seungmin's voice, but alas, his head is in the clouds and he proceeds obliviously. 

"Who do you like, Minnie? Wonpil-hyung is pretty nice~"

"Wonpil has a _ boyfriend." _Seungmin finally snaps.

Hyunjin jolts back, shock in his gaze. Seungmin is already regretting lashing out, regretting it more when he sees tears pooling in Hyunjin's eyes. 

"Hyunjin-" he starts, but it's already too late. So instead, he reaches out and lays a hand on his back, shushing him awkwardly. "I'm sorry. Calculus just stresses me out, you know?" 

Hyunjin laughs tearfully, rubbing at his eyes.

"I don't know why I'm crying."

Every bone in Seungmin's body is suddenly overtaken by the urge to be close to him, and his weakness is no help to his lack of self-control. He lets his head fall onto Hyunjin’s shoulder, mind softening against the warmth of his best friend.

"Neither do I."

_ But he does. _

"I don't like anyone."

_ But he does. _

"I think it'll stay that way for a while."

That's a lie. It may even be the most un-true thing Seungmin has ever said in his entire life. everything makes sense now; the way knowing Hyunjin is by his side makes his whole being sigh in content, the reason why he feels so jealous when he talks about other people. 

How is Seungmin supposed to continue on like he's oblivious? How can he hide this from Hyunjin, hide the fact that he's in love with him?

And maybe it's a little selfish, but he can't help but wonder how long this little thing they have will last. 

_ \--- _

Hyunjin misses Seungmin's 16th birthday party, and when things don't work out with Jinyoung, he sobs into Seungmin's waiting arms. 

"I should have known." 

"You couldn't have," Seungmin mutters helplessly, rubbing Hyunjin's back and shushing him.

Hyunjin just buries his face in Seungmin's shoulder, not saying another word.

Seungmin holds him tightly for the rest of the night, even though their position makes his muscles ache and he knows he'll be sore the next day. 

Again, Seungmin can't help but wonder how long he'll be able to endure this torture, how long he'll be able to pretend like being Hyunjin's shoulder to cry on doesn't kill him inside every time it happens. 

\---

"Seungmin? Hyunjin is here to see you!" Seungmin's mom's voice is muffled by his closed bedroom door.

Seungmin rolls over, flopping his arm over his face gracelessly to shield his eyes from the sun. 

"I still don't feel too good. Tell him I'll talk to him tomorrow." 

He hears their muffled conversation and the slam of his front door, pulls his covers up over his face and tries to ignore the sickening guilt brewing in his stomach.

\---

It gets easier after that. _ Easier, _ not easy. Seungmin still gets that falling-into-a-bottomless-pit feeling in his stomach whenever he ignores Hyunjin, still clenches his fists in disgust at himself when he sees the hurt look in Hyunjin's eyes, but at least Hyunjin starts to ignore Seungmin too. 

They walk past each other in the hallways without a glance in the other's direction. Hyunjin doesn't pull his chair up to Seungmin's desk during lunch to share notes. Seungmin doesn't ask Hyunjin to study with him after school.

Instead, Seungmin immerses himself in his solo studies, graduates four months early and officially leaves the whole mess behind; and for the first time in forever he feels free.

Hyunjin gives him a delicate silver necklace as a final birthday gift and Seungmin tucks it away in the back of his room, flying high on the fact that he can finally get far, far away. 

Said feelings are short-lived, however, swiftly quelled by the ice-cold shock of seeing Hyunjin walking around his college campus with some mutual friends. 

He isolates himself to his room, throwing himself into his studies even more aggressively than before. His only saving grace is his roommate Felix, who occasionally drags him outside to do normal human things. 

And where does this all lead? Seungmin asks himself the same thing, taking in Hyunjin's slightly longer, slightly lighter hair, his features having defined themselves yet become more unified at the same time. His voice is lower, smoother, a far cry from the one he remembers. 

He's different. But somehow still so so familiar, like short summers, swiftly melting melona, leftover cake and algebra homework, like pulling their desks together during lunch and pretending not to notice when their shoulders brush, Hyunjin feels like _ home. _Even more so than his dingy, plaster walled apartment block or his messy college dorm room. 

And so, Seungmin comes to the realization that he loved Hyunjin all along, through all of his heartbreaks and triumphs, and even though he pushed him away, he's still completely, absolutely, positively head-over-heels for his best friend.

It seems that this time fate is on Seungmin's side because Hyunjin's perfect lips are curling around the words Seungmin has always wanted to hear, Seungmin's world is coming to a shaking halt, his heart is leaping, soaring, 

"I'm in love with you, Kim Seungmin." 

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos are much appreciated! 
> 
> ... epilogue coming soon?<3


End file.
